How do animations work please?

I promise this isn't just a thinly veiled attempt for me to sneak smut into the forum again but a genuine cry for help from a semi noob.

I've been around the block. I've been across the railway lines and skulked around in the bushes on the dark side of SL. I've seen these .... poseballs!

But, lets say I've got this friend ........ and he really likes wrestling. Sometimes he wants to just wrestle with me on the beach or in a wood. Just fun harmless wrestling between two guys who have a mutual respect for each other and a healthy interest in ladies. There are no poseballs around and its more of an ..... inpromptu wrestle.

Does my friend have to go to a shop and buy an animation? Will he be able to choose between different animations in the particular genre he is interested in? And if his interest is say .... specialised, would he have to go to a specialised store? And if so, where might he find such a store?

Boy oh boy, I'm sure my friend would really appreciate any help you can give. He sure loves his wrestling!!

(By the way he says thanks for the help with his appendage.)

Heya Sandy,

There are a lot of great animation stores out there to buy poseballs, which you are familiar with.

If you want an impromptu animation, such as wrestling, that you described, one of you would need to purchase it. You cannot force an animation on another person so after you attach the item there is typically a way (through a chat command) to request your friend join you in that animation. I hope that makes sense.

For example, probably the most common one of these is a hugging animation. If I'm wearing this and I wanted to give you a hug (purely plutonic, of course) then I would type /1 hug Sandy. At that point the system would tell you that I want to give you a hug and ask if that's ok. When you accept then the animation occurs and we hug.

There's a very funny animation at Huggy's Coffee Mart called "cat fight". I don't remember the price but it's inexpensive. The store is primarily for tinies but they sell a tiny version and a human version.

As to how to get one made? Someone else will need to answer that.

Hi Sandy,

Bradley has already answered the main questions I think. I´ll throw you some landmarks to animations stores inworld later.

Happy wrestling

As Sally and Bradley have pointed out, there are lots of 'wrestling' animations your friend might buy. Abranimations, Bits & Bobs and M&P spring to mind.

Your friend can even try out these 'wrestling' poses in the store before he buys, although he might want to take along another 'friend' to try them out with, fully clothed of course

As for impromptu 'wrestling' matches, your friend should be aware that he'll probably have to adjust the poseballs before he uses them to 'wrestle' properly, or he might find himself 'wrestling' underground. Your friend or his friend can pop on one of the poseballs and then one of them can use the edit menu to adjust the height of the animation.

If you need any other help, let use know and happy wrestling

EDIT to add: And, no, I don't think it's possible to animate a 'wrestling' match in the same way you can offer to hug or kiss someone. or even pounce on them. You will need poseballs.

If he was quite inexperienced, all of this adjusting might take some of the romance out of wrestling though. I think *that* is his main concern.

Also, does anybody know where I can buy a leotard and a mask with flames on it?

A pink one?

Well, for romantic wrestling, your friend might prefer to buy a fully-quipped piece of 'wrestling' furniture. I'll see if I can send you a couple of examples for your friend to try.
Your next problem will be the 'wrestling' venue.

A sky platform and a practice building for a build-enabled area might be an idea.

I've just built a house for someone. I'll see if I can send you a copy

I'm not sure I could carry a pink leotard off.

I was thinking perhaps more of a mustard?

Thanks Chas! As usual you are not only a mine of information but a mountain of generosity and a ...... really big bucket of kindness.

Animate me up baby!! Erm ...... Dave!

Chas, could you send Sandy a landmark if you happen to be inworld? I haven´t got one.

You can do quite a lot with impromptu poses, the main trick is in making sure the other person is facing the right way, or you move so that they are positioned correctly in relation to you. For example, with a hug, you need to face the other person, and they need to be facing you, or you'll just hug air, or stick your hand through their kidneys or something ^^

If LL would just hurry up and make phantom poseballs work properly again (by making avatars phantom) then it would be easy to rez a single poseball for more complex impromptu events. I have a JIRA issue for that one:
http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/SVC-264

I'm starting to worry about you.


Seriously.

Xcite and (I think) Abranimations both offer products that allow impromptu use of two-person animations. There are a number of HUD attachments that also allow you to offer a selection of two-person animations wherever you happen to be, to any individual near you that you wish.

Simple ones, like the hug animation, may have issues with 'aiming'. Both avatars must start facing each other, or the results can be comically awkward. For something where the second person's alignment to the first matters, such as, lets say, wrestling, or ballroom dancing, the HUD usually rezzes a pose ball that is attached to the HUD wearer, and which allows the second person to be properly aligned.

As for the precise animation choices, there are a wide range out there, for mixed couples, or for two people of the same gender. If you can't find exactly what you want, there are external programs like Poser, DAZ Studio, and others that can be used to make custom animations. ( "But what I want involves a ladder and..." )

Ask on the Animation Tips forum for more detailed replied. The folks there have experience making and using custom animations for SL.

/me is SO glad I didn't let you talk me into going home with you that night we were in the Blarney Stone!

BTW Sandy, was it you that left that empty "appendage" box in "The Lair" dressing room? Must learn to clean up after yourself!